Friday, October 21, 2016

A Pretty Good List

It's one of those days where you get a video, and not much else. It's been a very long week. Like I have mentioned before, blogging is hard. (It's harder when you don't get enough sleep!) So let's get on with it.

The other day I posted a list of movies I really enjoy. As I was casting about for ideas for today's post, I ran across a video called "The Top Ten World War I Movies." So I watched it. Some of the films I've seen, some I haven't. Some I need to track down and watch. It's a pretty good list, even if it doesn't have a few of my own favorite WWI films. (Sgt York and The Blue Max to name just two.)

One of my favorite WW1 movies is a real sleeper. "The Lost Battalion" with Ricky Schroder. A haunting movie, dealing with what must be one of a commander's worst nightmares, lost behind enemy lines. The movie deals with a battalion of the 77th Division under Major Charles White Whittlesey and the Argonne Forest. This is the action that "Cher Ami", a carrier pigeon, became famous for.

The friendly fire incident, the way it is portrayed, the actions of the men on the firing and receiving end, is equal in a haunted-horrible level as some of the first 30 minutes of "Saving Private Ryan."

Truly a great movie that you will only re-watch during daylight hours, because it will haunt you.

By the way, Major Whittlesey was so ruined emotionally by the experience that after the war, he took an ocean liner trip and just walked off, somewhere in the Atlantic.

And, "Sgt. York" with Gary Cooper. How can you not consider that one of the best WW1 movies? Just saying.

The first two AF (in its nascent stage) Medals of Honor were awarded for actions taken in support of that Battalion. Lts Goettler and Bleckley flew air support for them dropping supplies when they were shot down and killed.May have to check out that movie.